Guwahati, Aug. 20 -- Community leaders and social influencers in Assam are encouraging local youth to take up Khair (Senegalia catechu) plantation as a new path to economic self-reliance.

With a growing international market for its products, Khair is emerging as one of the most promising agroforestry businesses in the Northeast.

The Khair tree, locally known as Katha, has been used in India for centuries. Its extract is a key ingredient in paan and is also used in ayurvedic medicine, leather tanning, and textile dyeing. The tree's dense, durable hardwood is highly valued for making charcoal, furniture, and tools.

"The demand for Khair products never falls because it's linked to traditional habits and industries," explains Manas Bora, a...